Lakers Players Who Have to Elevate Their Game in 2024
The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament.
If they hope to enjoy similar success during the postseason, though, they'll need several of their players to level-up in the new year.
From a starting swingman struggling with offensive consistency to a scoring specialist who hasn't done much scoring, let's break down three Lakers who must be better moving forward.
Max Christie
1 of 3
After following a quietly encouraging rookie campaign with a sizzling showing at Summer League, Max Christie appeared in line for a leap year.
Instead, he's fumbled enough opportunities that he might not regularly receive them any more without an injury opening a hole in this rotation.
His best version is a player who could absolutely help this team. He's a versatile, high-energy defender with a fiery three-ball. He has even flashed more handles than the coveted three-and-D archetype typically includes.
His current form has been nothing close to that, though. Through 21 contests, his 38.7/30.2/71.4 shooting slash has disappointed from every level, and his defensive box plus/minus has dipped into the red.
Christian Wood
2 of 3
While the Lakers have defended at a championship level, their 24th-ranked offense, per NBA.com, looks more suited for the lottery.
In fact, the six teams ranked behind them all have sub-.400 winning percentages.
You might think, then, that a skilled scorer like Christian Wood would have no trouble securing a rotation role. The fact he hasn't found a full-time spot speaks to the struggles he's encountered on the offensive end.
He should be a tough cover as a bouncy big man with handles and a three-ball, but his offensive output has flat-lined. An 18.1-points-per-game scorer over the past three seasons, he's managed just 7.4 in his 20.2 minutes during his first go-round in Hollywood. His 27.9 three-point percentage is the worst of his career, and his 46.3 field-goal percentage is the lowest it's been since his rookie season of 2015-16.
Cam Reddish
3 of 3
Cam Reddish has played a not insignificant part in the Purple and Gold's climb to the No. 8 spot in defensive efficiency. The 6'8" swingman appears as dialed in on that end as ever. His 1.5 steals are a new career-high, and his 2.6 deflections are second-best on the squad.
So, what's the problem? Well, his offensive game is well behind his defense, and his contributions only add so much if he functions like a one-way player.
Consistency and efficiency have long been issues for the former lottery pick, and that remains the case. He's had six games with double-digit scoring and another five in which he tallied two points or fewer. His shooting rates from the field (40.8) and from three (31.0) are entirely uninspiring.
He has fared better since cracking the starting lineup, but even then, there have been peaks and valleys in his production.
